Movement in Bed and Getting Out of Bed

Getting Out of Bed When Your Energy Is Almost Zero (Living Alone With Pain and Fatigue)

This article is for days when the tank is truly empty: you wake up in pain, your body feels like concrete, and the idea of getting out of bed alone feels impossible. We will go through how to turn, shuffle, and move towards sitting using the least possible energy, with realistic pauses and options if you feel faint or overwhelmed. You will see exactly what is different about moving when pain and fatigue are both high, compared with ordinary back pain or simple stiffness. We will also look at how a Snoozle Slide Sheet, used purely as a low-friction layer on your normal mattress, can remove some of the “sticking points” that usually eat up your energy and trigger pain spikes.

Updated 11/12/2025

Quick answer

On a day when your energy is almost zero and you live alone with pain, you need a slower, more economical way to move out of bed. Instead of one big push, break the movement into small stages: gentle warm-up in lying, an easy roll to your side, then a gravity-assisted pivot to sitting with long pauses. A Snoozle Slide Sheet under your hips and shoulders can reduce mattress drag so you slide instead of having to haul your body, which means less effort, less shear on the skin, and fewer pain spikes—without lifting or dragging yourself off the bed.

Make turning in bed smoother and safer

If bed mobility is physically demanding, a low-friction slide sheet can reduce strain on joints and help you move with more control. Snoozle is designed for people who still move independently, but need less resistance from the mattress.

Learn more about Snoozle Slide Sheet →

Getting out of bed when your energy is almost zero

On days when pain is high and your energy is almost gone, getting out of bed is not a willpower problem. It is a physics and pacing problem.

Instead of one big effort, you need a series of very small, low-effort moves, with pauses. The aim is to let gravity and low friction do more of the work so your muscles and joints do less.

Living alone adds another layer: there is no one to boost you, so the plan has to be something you can do by yourself, even when you feel shaky or foggy.

This is different from general back pain or simple muscle soreness. With low energy and persistent pain, your body often cannot tolerate repeated “just push harder” attempts. Each failed effort can drain what little strength you have and flare your symptoms for the rest of the day.

In home visits I often see people in your situation stuck in the middle of a turn or half-sitting, unable to finish the movement. The key is to avoid those stuck points by changing the way you set up and by using tools like a low-friction slide sheet to reduce the work each move demands.

What is different about moving with pain and low energy?

When you live with both pain and low energy (from conditions like chronic fatigue, long COVID, fibromyalgia, or long-term illness), the problem is not just that movements hurt.

You may notice:

This is not the same as general back pain, where the main limit is usually local pain and stiffness in one area. Here, the whole system is underpowered and easily overloaded. You have to protect your energy and your nervous system, not just your back.

A common pattern is: one big heave to sit up, a sharp pain spike, a rush of dizziness, then you collapse back, even more drained. After one or two of these attempts, your day is already worse.

The approach below is designed to avoid that cycle. We will break movements into pieces, use your bedding and pillows as supports, and, if you have a Snoozle Slide Sheet, use it to reduce friction so you glide instead of grinding against the mattress.

Preparing the bed and your body before you move

Before you start moving, set things up so you need less effort and fewer repeats.

If even these tiny movements feel like too much, it is okay to do less. On very low-energy days, the priority is to move smoothly, not far.

Turning in bed when energy is almost zero

Why this movement is difficult with pain and low energy

Turning in bed asks a lot from your core muscles, shoulders and hips. When your energy is low, these muscles tire fast and your brain is slower to coordinate them.

Many people with this condition notice that they can start a turn, but then get stuck halfway, with their shoulders turned but their pelvis and legs lagging behind. Holding that twisted position is exhausting and painful.

Compared with general back pain, the issue here is not only local pain in the spine. It is the overall cost of the turn: heart rate, breathlessness, and the risk that one strong push will wipe you out for hours.

What usually goes wrong

Common trouble points when turning include:

This is the point where many people with pain and fatigue get stuck — the shoulders have started to roll, but the pelvis feels glued to the mattress and the legs are heavy. With a Snoozle under your hips and shoulders, this sticking point often eases because the pelvis and legs can slide as a unit instead of having to be dragged across the mattress.

A safe, realistic method that works at home

Here is a low-effort way to turn from your back onto your side (towards the side you plan to get out of bed on). You can pause after any step.

At any point, if your heart is racing or your pain surges, stay where you are and take 3–5 slow breaths before continuing or deciding to stop.

From lying to sitting: getting to the edge of the bed

Why this movement is difficult with this condition

Moving from lying to sitting is usually the most demanding part of getting out of bed when you live alone with pain and low energy.

It asks your body to:

With general back pain, the main complaint here is often “my back hurts when I sit up”. With ongoing pain and low energy, the bigger issues are sudden exhaustion, dizziness, or a feeling that your muscles simply “switch off” halfway up. That is why we avoid a sit-up style movement and instead use a side-lying pivot.

What usually goes wrong

These are the patterns I most often see at home:

With a Snoozle under your back and thighs, you do not have to drag your pelvis through the mattress dip. Instead, you can gently slide your hips a little closer to the edge before you pivot, which means less arm effort and a smoother, slower rise.

A safe, realistic method that works at home

We will assume you have already turned onto your side, facing the edge of the bed you want to get out from.

If at any point your symptoms surge, it is okay to lie back onto your side using the same path in reverse. Protecting your overall day is more important than forcing yourself upright on the first try.

Using a Snoozle Slide Sheet safely at home

The Snoozle Slide Sheet is a low-friction sheet designed for home use on a normal mattress. It is not a lifting device, not for dangling off the bed, and not for transferring between bed and chair.

Its job is to reduce friction so that you and/or a helper can move your body with less effort and less shear on your skin and joints.

For someone living alone with pain and low energy, this can mean:

Always keep your centre of mass on the bed when using Snoozle. That means no sliding until your bottom is at the very edge and then trying to “scoot” into the air. All sliding happens while you are fully supported on the mattress.

Energy management and pacing while you move

On a near-zero energy day, how you pace the movement can be as important as the movement itself.

Many people with this condition notice that if they can keep the first movement of the day calm and smooth, the rest of the day is more manageable. A chaotic, painful morning exit often sets off a flare that is hard to calm down.

What is realistically possible on a very low-energy day?

Some days, “getting out of bed” might mean getting to sitting for a short while, using the edge of the bed as a perch, and then choosing to lie back down. That is still a success.

Compared with someone who has simple stiffness or local back pain, your margin for error is much smaller. It is normal to need more time, more steps, and more support from tools like a slide sheet, pillows and furniture.

Your goal is not to move like a healthy person. Your goal is to move in a way that respects your limited energy and avoids avoidable pain spikes, so you have something left for the rest of the day.

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Watch the guided walkthrough

Frequently asked questions

What if I start the movement and realise halfway that I do not have enough energy to finish?

If you feel your energy dropping or symptoms rising halfway through, your priority is to get back to a supported position. From side-lying, you can gently reverse the steps: bring your legs back onto the bed, roll back onto your back using small pushes and pauses, and rest. It is better to abandon the attempt early than to push through and end up on the edge of the bed too exhausted or dizzy to control your posture.

Is it safe to use a slide sheet like Snoozle when I am alone, or could I slide off the bed?

It can be safe if you place and use it correctly. Keep the Snoozle fully on the mattress, with your pelvis and trunk always supported, and stop sliding well before your bottom reaches the edge. Use it only to reduce friction while you are lying or sitting on the bed, never to slide directly into standing or to bridge between bed and chair. Move slowly, test small slides first, and if you feel you are moving too easily towards the edge, reposition the Snoozle further from the side.

How long should I rest between each small step when getting out of bed?

A practical starting point is 20–40 seconds of rest between 10–20 seconds of gentle effort, but you can adjust this to your body. If your heart is racing, you feel breathless or your pain is climbing, extend the rest until things settle. Over time, you will learn your own pattern, but on very low-energy days it is safer to rest a little longer than you think you need.

Should I force myself to get fully out of bed every day to keep my strength up?

Pushing to full out-of-bed on a day when your energy is near zero can backfire, leading to a bigger flare and more time stuck in bed later. It is often more helpful to aim for the best quality movement you can manage that day, which might be turning more comfortably, sitting briefly on the edge, or even just repositioning to reduce pain. A physiotherapist can help you plan which days to aim higher and which days to protect your energy.

How is this different from advice for someone with ordinary back pain?

With ordinary back pain, the main focus is often on protecting the spine while encouraging normal movement, and people usually have enough strength and stamina to try again if a movement fails. With pain plus low energy, the whole system is fragile: one big effort can cause dizziness, a pain flare and days of increased fatigue. That is why we emphasise tiny steps, deliberate pauses, and tools like a slide sheet to reduce the overall cost of each movement.

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